On the eve of liquor ban coming to force in Bihar, liquor outlets, both country and Indian-made foreign booze, were hurriedly disposing of their stocks. “The stock found after March 31 at any place will be destroyed,” said an excise department official. The Indian made foreign liquor will be sold in a limited way only in urban municipal areas at 655 outlets that will be run by Bihar State Beverage Corporation limited.
However, in urban areas like Patna, the foreign liquor was sold in black with shop owners removing stock to undisclosed places amid thinking that they would be somehow manage in future to sell them at higher prices to their old customers.
But a recent survey showed that the number of boozers in Bihar is declining. National Family Health Survey 2015-16 by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare reported that Bihar has 29 per cent boozers including .02 per cent women. The survey conducted by Academy of Management Studies and Indian Institute of Health Management Research surveyed 36,772 households between March 16-August2, 2015 covering people falling in age group of 15-49. Altogether 28.9 per cent men and 0.2 per cent women admitted liquor consumption. In urban areas 26.2 per cent men and in rural areas 29.5 per cent men admitted they consume booze.
This is just contrast to the survey of 2005-06 when 35 per cent men and 1 per cent women had admitted consumption of liquor.
However, a different survey made by Indira Gandhi National Open University in 2010 had concluded that about 54 per cent people were used to liquor, ganja, smack and cough syrups.
The Government while banning the country and spice liquor has also established de-addition centres in all the 38 districts. During the past three months a survey was conducted to find out habitual drunkards and the report said so far it has identified 1,61,770 people including women with maximum of them, 26583, in Samastipur district alone.
Each de-addition centre will have ten beds and the Government has sanctioned Rs 98 crore for them. This allocation has been made through health and excise departments.
The alcohol ban meanwhile causing much inconvenience to the homeopathic treatment. The homeopath drug manufacturers have been directed to dispose 450 and 500 Ml bottles of mother tincture since it contains 90 per cent of alcohol. Not only manufacturers but also homeopath doctors and drug retailers also keep mother tincture. Keeping this tincture in only 30 Ml bottles is permissible and beyond that will be treated as hoarding of liquor. A delegation of Bihar State Homeopath Association called on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but he refused to give them any relief and asked them to destroy the stock of 450 and 500 Ml bottles of mother tincture immediately.
Nitish is enthusiastic over the overwhelming response of the people, mostly women, across the State over the prohibition policy. On Thursday people took out processions to express their happiness and raised slogans in favour of Nitish in different corners of Bihar. They were also seen smashing the earthen pitchers for storing the country-made liquor.